Slow down, Jets fans. NFL referees don't have it out for you.
The refs didn’t cheat the Jets out of a win over the Patriots
Twitter went nuts after an official helped the Patriots avoid an alignment penalty on their game-winning field goal block, but the league snuffed out conspiracy theories.
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Conspiracy theories swept across social media after video emerged of a ref helping the New England Patriots avoid a five-yard alignment penalty just before blocking a field goal at the end of regulation to beat the New York Jets, 27-25, on Thursday night.
But an NFL spokesman told Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports that the ref moving Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower out of an illegal position over the center just before the snap "is a standard officiating procedure that occurs regularly."
NFL Vice President of Officiating Dean Blandino confirmed the statement, saying that umpires will routinely remind players to stay off the center as a player safety precaution.
“[It’s] no different than pointing out [the line of scrimmage] to a wideout,” Blandino explained.
As Nick Folk lined up for a 58-yard attempt with five seconds remaining, Hightower took up a position just across from Jets long snapper Tanner Purdum, a five-yard penalty by NFL rules. But rather than tossing his flag, the official standing nearby grabbed Hightower's arm and appeared to instruct him to move over. Hightower promptly jumped out of the penalty zone, the ball was snapped and the rest is history.
The penalty would have given Folk another shot at the kick, this time from 53 yards.
It turns out that this a common occurrence in the league, and all the hoopla over NFL refs having it out for the Jets is much ado about nothing.
As Pro Football Talk points out, Hightower's initial alignment may not have even mattered:
Right after Hightower is steered away from the snapper, the Patriots’ entire defensive line shifts on both sides, sliding into position just outside the snapper’s shoulder pads on either side. If Hightower was planning to walk all the way up to the snapper, he probably didn’t plan on staying there. It looks like the goal was to distract the snapper, with the intent of stepping back out as the other players shifted.
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